Frolics of Youth
by Shelly LeBlanc
Summary: Some of the members of the Fellowship get in touch with their youth as they play a bit of snow games. Christmas-y story.


Frolics of Youth  
  
By: Shelly LeBlanc  
  
Author's notes: Since I do not know if the characters in the Lord of the Ring's trilogy celebrate Christmas, I just made a silly fic of them playing around the time of Christmas. It takes place before they move to the mountain top. I have not read the books, for I am a new fan that has only been able to watch the movies (ROTK rocks man!) The books are somewhere in my house, hidden in a box. As soon as I find them, I will read them.  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters, nor will I say I do. This is fan fiction, untrue except, perhaps, in my own mind. Read on, and enjoy the story.  
  
***  
  
It was a frosty, cold night. It had just barely begun to snow again, yet it foreshadowed a heavier fall than the last. It set gloom to the travelers that walked its icy steps of the forest, for even the tree's branches could not protect the travelers from getting snow on their faces and into their shoes, or directly on certain travelers' feet. When the first snowflake had fallen, one of the nine travelers, the Ranger, shouted a warning, and told them that they would rest here for a short while before continuing.  
  
The four hobbits gave a sigh of relief, then a cheer. It meant food and possibly play for them. The dwarf just collapsed onto the ground ungracefully, as most dwarves are, and was destined to stay there until called upon to continue their journey. The old wizard carefully placed his bones on a soft mount of earth, which was covered with snow from the previous snowfall. He took out a bit of weed and smoked it gently, giving great care to his thoughts, which only a mind reader could tell what they are for the Gray Wizard did not say. The Ranger scouted a head, hoping to find a clearing to check the late afternoon sky. He did not want to be stopped by a storm when they had a chance to find decent cover. He knew they might be delayed, but he would rather the safety of his companions than getting to their destination more exhausted than needed be. The other human followed him, hopeful that he could help the ranger out.  
  
The last of the Fellowship, an Elf, moved slowly around the area that had been chosen for a resting place. He walked about a minute, every now and then touching the cool bark of a tree, as if searching for something. Finally, the Elf stopped, laying rest his hand upon a tall tree with its lowest branch many feet from the ground. The fair being tilted his head back and in one swift move, was lying comfortably on the lowest branch on that tree. Those who had seen it stared in admiration and awe, while the others ignored it, for they did not see the gracefulness of the act. But within a few moments, everything turned back to what it had been, the Hobbits chewing merrily on mushrooms, and the Gray Wizard took more puffs. The two humans and the dwarf did not bare witness to this act, therefore there was nothing for them to turn back to.  
  
A cool wind blew between the trees, bowing the limbs ever so slightly. It caused it occupant to rock gently in the wind, as if he were an infant in a cradle. It was lulling and soothing to the Elf; he felt great peace when he was in a forest, being raised as a Wood Elf, it was natural. He could hear the whispering of the trees, who told stories of these woods long, long ago. They drowned out the shouts of laughter coming from the Halflings and the snores of the Dwarf. The elf rested his head against the tree's base and smiled gently. 'Ah,' he thought, 'this is a piece of paradise.'  
  
Suddenly a great shout came from below and the elf drew his attention away from his beloved trees the small creatures below.  
  
"Master Legolas! Why do you sit in that tree all alone? Come down and join our merry games," cried Sam. The other Hobbits were too busy throwing snowballs at each other to offer a hand of invitation.  
  
"Nay, Master Sam," Legolas called down, laughter in his melodic voice, "I enjoy the trees' solitude, though your games seem very enjoyable. I may join you, by and by."  
  
"All right, Master Greenleaf, I see we can not tear you from your precious trees just yet. But if you feel up to it, come down show us hobbits how to throw a snowball properly, and perhaps sing us an elfish song."  
  
Legolas' laughter filled the air. "How can I turn down such a request? Give me a few moments, Young Hobbit. I will join you shortly." The elf's words seem to enough for the young Hobbit, for the creature grinned and ran off to the others. Legolas held his smiled as he went back to the whispers of the trees.  
  
* * *  
  
As he promised, Legolas told his excuse to the trees, who had thought it was quite funny for an elf to teach the technique of snowball fighting to Hobbits. Legolas, searching quickly for a sign of Aragorn and Boromir, jumped down from the tree with a graceful leap and an equally graceful landing. He moved lightly over the snow and roots of the forest, heading towards the youths at play.  
  
"So, Master Hobbits, what is this I hear about a snowball fight without the presence of an Elf?"  
  
The hobbits stopped their play for only a few moments to stare at the elf before they cocked their arms back and shot their loads at the newcomer. Legolas knew the snow was coming at him, and he knew that he had time to duck out of the way, but he stayed put, allowing the snow to pelt his blonde hair and his fair face. When he finally wiped the snow away from his hair and face, he had a smile spread upon his face. A twinkle of mischief was present in his blue eyes as he moved forward.  
  
The Hobbits, seeing that gleam in his eyes, backed up in fear. And with good reason, for the elf's next words confirmed their fears.  
  
"You think that those were snowballs? You haven't seen a snowball made with elf hands yet." And with that, he quickly moved his hands to the white earth and came up with two snowballs. The movement was so swift that the Hobbits barely registered it before they felt the pelts of cold wetness. In quick sessions, the Hobbits were half covered with snow. As quickly as they could, they unburied themselves and started after the laughing elf.  
  
Legolas swiftly averted them, running out of harms way. The hobbit's laughter could be heard behind them, while they tried to split companies and try to trap the quick creature. They spent a few minutes playing this game of chase before Legolas finally allowed the Halflings to catch him and they had tried to smother him by all jumping on him at once. More giggles and laughter were heard for a short session before all became quiet.  
  
Gandalf lifted his head, slightly startled by the sudden lack of noise. He perked his hearing up, listening for signs of danger. Finally he was able to hear the distant whispering of elvish and the muffled laughter of young ones. He turned his head to where the sound came from, and finally catching the sight of four hobbits sitting in a semi-circle while the elf was talking to the snow. And right before his eyes, the elf moved his long fingers quickly over the snow and formed a small creature out of the snow. The old wizard smiled and turned his face around, letting his companions alone to have their fun.  
  
Sam squinted at the figure made up of snow. It took him only a few moments before he could tell who the creature resembled. "Hey! That's me!" he cried out in surprise, his eyes rounded with awe. The elf prince smiled and went to a new pile of snow and whispered elfish to it also. As he did before, he quickly formed the mount of snow into a small replica of Frodo. He then did the same for Merry and Pippin. The Hobbits giggled with delight and stared at their snow selves. Legolas then continued to do the rest of the Fellowship, which were so alike that if they had all been white, they would have looked like the snow beings.  
  
With more elf magic, he made Gimli's snow being start to snore, and the Hobbits almost trampled their snow beings in laughter. Legolas placed a finger over his mouth to hush them, and then made his own snow being pick up an unused piece of snow and throw it at the Gimli the snow dwarf.  
  
The hobbits were in fits now, almost unable to contain their laughter. Then Legolas quickly grabbed his own snow being and rolled him into a ball. He spoke to his four companions in a serious voice.  
  
"We must not leave a trail for whoever might want to follow us." The Hobbits sobered at the words, remembering that they were on a journey. They picked up their own snow hobbits and rolled them into a ball, and helped Legolas role the others into balls. When it was all done, they all stared at the nine balls they had just made. Legolas cocked his head slightly, staring closely at them.  
  
"Hm," Legolas said quietly. "This presents us with a problem. Here are nine perfect snowballs. If left here, they would surely give a sign to enemies we were here. But if we just smash them to the ground, it would be a waste of perfectly good snowballs. So . . . our only choice is to use them." The Hobbits glanced up at the elf and saw that the mischievous glaze was in his sky blue eyes. They all grinned and nodded.  
  
Legolas placed one finger on his mouth again, telling them to be silent, as he used his other hand to motion into one direction. The hobbits caught on immediately, and they each picked up two balls and slowly followed Legolas to where the wizard and the dwarf temporarily resided. Legolas went a few feet, eyeing the Gray Wizard closely. Gandalf had his eyes closed and facing the direction the elf and four hobbits were heading. Everything seemed normal about the old wizard, except for the slight smile that played on his lips. Legolas took that as a sign that his old companion "heard no evil, saw no evil, and spoke no evil." Legolas' grin widened as they bypassed Gandalf and headed directly for the sleeping dwarf.  
  
With his free hand, Legolas motioned the hobbits to form a circle around their target and to wait for his signal, which by holding up his fingers, informed them that it was the count to three. They readied themselves, snowballs aimed to throw. Legolas held up one finger, searching there faces for readiness, and then held up a second finger. He shifted his stance to be prepared to run as soon as the ball was thrown, and he saw the others do the same. Finally, he held the third finger up and the white balls when flying.  
  
* * *  
  
Aragorn slowly headed back to camp, leaving Boromir behind to start setting up camp in the shallow cave they had found not too far from the Fellowship's resting place. Suddenly, his Ranger ears picked up the sound of roars and drew his sword. 'A battle? Why was I not warned?' Aragorn thought, berating himself as he ran as quickly as he could towards the noise.  
  
The sight that he did see when he finally got to camp, almost caused him to drop his sword in surprise and laughter. There stood Gimli, wide awake and covered head to toe with snow. He was looking around in anger, as if trying to catch a peek at who had done this too him. Unfortunately, the only other being in sight was Gandalf, who seemed to be able to control the laughter that was shining through his eyes.  
  
"Where is he?!" the dwarf asked, finally facing the old wizard. Some of the snow was falling off due to the shaking of anger from Gimli. The twinkle disappeared from his eyes, replacing it with fake bewilderment.  
  
"I do not know what you are talking about. I was just here, daydreaming, when I saw the snow fall upon you and you jump up. I perhaps saw a flash of thing, but where it ended up, I cannot tell you."  
  
Gimli roared again and turned around, searching the sky. "Legolas Greenleaf, you, you, Son of an Ork! I will get my revenge, you dirty little elf!"  
  
A voice from the trees answered with a reply and a laugh, "Why must it be I only who do wicked things to equally wicked dwarves? Have you not noticed that the Hobbits are missing as well? Has your prejudice for my kind fogged your slow brain?"  
  
Gimli sneered at the voice and looked around again, indeed noticing that the Halflings were gone as well. "Oh, you are all nasty little buggers! If I had not sworn an oath to protect you, I would bash your heads against rocks, though it would do no good for that is all your head is filled with, Rocks!"  
  
Aragorn could not hold his laughter in anymore. It caused giggles to come from bushes and trees, and Gimli looked around the forest again before setting his glaze at the human.  
  
"Oh, sure. Encourage them! While I freeze my beard off and become more frostbitten than before." There was a whine in the dwarf's voice that almost made Aragorn laugh again. But he straightened his face as much as he could and called out.  
  
"Legolas, when will you act your age?"  
  
A reply came from the trees. "My age? But I am merely two thousand and eight hundred and fifty-two years old."  
  
Gimli gave out a bark of a laugh, unable to keep his anger for too long. Suddenly a head popped out of a bush, where Pippin's curls had bits of leaves and snow in them.  
  
"Are you really that old?"  
  
Gimli took that change to grab for the pesky Hobbit and get his revenge, but the hobbit was lighter and faster than the poor dwarf and was unable to catch him. The rest of the hobbits came out of hiding, too, and gave the dwarf more than one target to catch. The play would have gone on if Aragorn did not feel the pressing need to find shelter before the storm erupts over them.  
  
He called for Legolas to come down, who gracefully dropped down right next to the ranger, landing on both feet. The grin on the elf's face a clearly full of mischief and with not regret. Aragorn couldn't help but laugh at his companion, placing a hand on his shoulders.  
  
"I think you had too much fun today. Save whatever naughtiness that is in your head for later."  
  
The elf only gave a smirk and whistled to the Hobbits, who turned to him and saw him waving them his way. When they reached him, Aragorn told them the plans and let Legolas lead them into the direction he had sent them.  
  
Aragorn watched the dwarf follow a small distance behind them, grumbling about misbehaving elves and hobbits. He turned to the old wizard, who had gotten himself off the ground, and was dusting the white fluff from his attire. Aragorn moved his way, and helped Gandalf finish wiping the snow off. They then turned to head towards the campsite. In the distance, they could hear the playful noise of the six beings that went a head of them. Gandalf shook his head in laughter.  
  
"Ah, the frolics of youth, how I missed it."  
  
"Yes. It had been so despairing as of late, I almost forgot how young the Hobbits were, and how playful Legolas can be. It has been years since I have seen him like that."  
  
Gandalf nodded his head in agreement, and smiled. They followed the footprints in the snow, listening to the squealing laughter of the hobbits, the dark mutters of the dwarf, and the melodic song of one elfish prince.  
  
The End. 


End file.
